Water-closet seat for infants.



B. E. UULLEN. WATER CLOSET SEAT FOR INFANTS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT 22. 1913.

1 y 1 22,25 w n Patented Dec. 29. 1914.

WITNESSES:

IN VE IV TOR THE NORRIS PETERS cO. PHOTO LITl-lovv WASHINGTON. D. t.

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ERNEST E. CULLEN, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN; ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO BERTHAE. OSCAR, OF DETRDIT, MICHIGAN.

WATER-CLOSET SEAT FOP. INFANTS.

Application filed September 512, 1913.

To aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, ERNEST E. CULLEN, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of Detroit, in the countyof Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented a new and usefulater-Closet Seat for Infants, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to attachments for water closets so as to adaptthem for use by infants, and its object is to provide an attachmentwhich will be strong and simple, which can be quickly attached anddetached, and which can be produced at low cost.

This invention consists of a proper seat, preferablv in the form of afiat apertured board, and a series of fingers extending down from theboard, one of the fingers being movable so that the seat can be lockedto the upper edge of the water closet hopper.

It also consists in adjustably mounting the movable fingers so as toadapt this attachment to hoppers of different sizes.

It further consists in providing the seat with a frame to secure theinfant in position.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a rear view of this improvedseat mounted on a hopper, the back of the hopper being broken away toshow the fingers. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan of the seat. Fig. 3 is a sideelevation of a modified form of the device. Fig. 4: is a rear elevationof this modified form. Fig. 5 is a bottom plan of the same.

Fig. 6 is a view of one form of guide for the movable finger.

Similar reference characters refer to like parts throughout the severalviews.

The seat 1 of this device may be of wood or any other proper materialand has an aperture 2, and to the lower side are secured the bases 3 and4 of two fingers 6, on which may be mounted the sleeves 5 of rubber orother yielding substance. The hoppers 11 of water closets are often ofenameled steel, which enamel is in danger of chipping if engageddirectly by steel fingers 6.

In order to rapidly and easily attach and detach this seat to and fromthe hopper, a movable finger 7 is mounted on the seat, together with anydesirable means for pressing this finger against the inner side of theedge of the hopper 11. This is particularly Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Dec. 23 1314.

Serial No. 790,933.

desirable for the reason that if the fingers merely fit loosely withinthe hopper, a wiggling child is liable to not only shift the seat, butto disengage it entirely, resulting in a bad fall.

In Figs. 1 and 2, the base 8 of the .finger 7 is shown to have a slot 9to receive the screw 10. The sleeve 5 of rubber is also preferablyplaced over this finger. Secured to the base 8 is a pin 12, that extendsthrough the cam slot 13 in the flat end 14: of the lever 15, pivoted onthe screw 16. It will be seen that to release the seat, the lever 15will be swung to the left, in Fig. 1, and that to secure the seat, thelever will be swung to the right. As hoppers are of different sizes,extra holes 17 and 18 for the screws 10 and 16 respectively may bedrilled in the seat while this device is being made.

Instead of a cam, the construction shown in Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive maybe employed. A nut 20 is secured to the seat 21 to receive thescrew-threaded portion 22 of the rod 23, having a crank 24 at itsopposite end. The bearing 25 for this rod is secured to the seat. Aguide 26 prevents the finger 27 from swinging out on its pivot, which isthe reduced end of the rod 23. The fingers 2? and 28 will preferablyhave the usual coverings 29.

To hold the child in place on the seat, a back may be providedconsisting of the brace 31, and the rail 32 which extends in bothdirections from the brace and turns down to where its ends are securedto the seat by means of the screws 33. A leather strap 34, having hooks35 at its ends, may extend across the front of this seat back.

In place of the guide 26, a wire staple 36 may be driven into the edgeof the seat.

When it is desired to secure this second form of seat to the hopper, thecrank 24- is turned to the left until the fingers can be all inserted inthe opening of the hopper, after which the rod 23 is turned to the rightuntil the finger 27 is pressed against the hopper sufiiciently firmly tohold the seat in position. \Vhen the seat has been secured to anyhopper, itwill be a matter of but few seconds to detach of attach itagain.

Any other desired type of adjusting mechanism for the movable finger maybe employed, but the structures shown are preferred. The number andarrangement of the fingers may be varied without departing from thespirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. An attachment for a water-closet hopper comprising an apertured seat,a plurality of downwardly extending fingers rigidly secured to the lowerside of the seat and adapted to contact with the edge of a Waterclosethopper at points spaced apart from one another a considerable angulardistance, another finger slidably mounted on the lower side of said seatand adapted to e11- gage with the periphery of the hopper at a pointspaced a considerable angular distance from the points at which thefirst-mentioned fingers engage with it, a plate pivotally mounted on theedge of said seat and having acam slot, a pin on the slidable fingerextending into said slot, and a lever connected to said plate to actuatethe finger.

2. An auxiliary seat for water closets comprising an apertured seat, adownwardly extendingengaging member rigidly secured to the lower side ofthe seat, a movable engaging member also mounted on the lower side ofthe seat at a point spaced a considerable angular distance from theother engaging member, an operating member mounted on the seat adjacentthe movable engaging member and having a cam slot to receive aprojection on the movable engaging member to move the same as saidoperating member is actuated to lock the auxiliary seat in position.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

ERNEST E. CULLEN.

\Vitnesses EDWARD N. PAGELSEN, HUGO W. KREINBRING.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for time cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

